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| Illustration: (c) Anne Asher 2007 Licensed to About.com |
Back pain is ubiquitous. Lots of new treatments and tests have emerged in recent years to try to address it. A 2009 study led by Richard Deyo, MD, PhD, and notable patient advocate specializing in spinal treatments, found that Medicare payments for spinal epidurals, spine MRIs, opioid pain management, and spinal fusions have shot up significantly since 1994. This is most likely a combination of more procedures done and an increase in cost for those services.
So how well did the recipients of the treatments and tests do? Deyo says there are not a lot of follow up studies, but the ones that have been done suggest that back pain is actually increasing. For example, he reports that the US Medical Expediture Panel Survey found several factors that usually go with back pain (like limitations in what you're able to do and your mental health) actually rose between the years of 1997 and 2005.
One might think that with the increase in costs and use of new spine treatments, the people on the receiving end would feel better for the experience.
But Deyo says "innovation has often outpaced clinical science". This means there's a chance that the treatment or test your doctor gives you may not be backed by clear evidence that it works.
The next time you go to the doctor, please speak up. Try to engage your physician in a dialogue about your diagnosis and treatment. Ask for copies of the research studies that support the procedure(s) they are suggesting. Your doctor may resist you, but if you stand your ground and do your homework (actually read the material they give you), you may save yourself from the personal and financial costs of unnecessary treatment.
Source:
Deyo, R.A., et al. Overtreating Chronic Back Pain: Time to Back Off? Family Medicine and the Health Care System. Jan-Feb 09 Vol. 22 No. 1. Accessed. Mar 2010.
| Spinal Epidural | Back Pain | Should you have a fusion for low back pain? |
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valuable information indeed ! But i personally think that the future of back pain treatment surprisingly lies in genetics, but there’s a big debate about it. Thanks for the info !
Hi Anne, I’m a physician and deal with back pain complaints a lot… I’ve read US Medical Expediture Panel Survey(actually should be Expenditure
) and wasn’t surprised when they mentioned that chronic back pain is among the most common patient complaints. Most of my patients’ back pain problems were due to overweight issues and the first thing i always suggest is to lose weight. Some lead sedentary lifestyle and sit at the desk for hours non-stop… Anyway I’m currently exploring use of teeter hangups and inversion tables. Seems to be working for some patients so far…